The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ

By Levi H. Dowling

Introduction by Eva S. Dowling

[1920]

This book is an extensive reworking of
the Jesus story with strong Theosophical and Spiritualist influences.
Of interest is the attempt to fill in the two decade gap in the
Jesus's traditional biography.
According to Dowling, Jesus spent a lot of time in the mystical East
where he learned esoteric methods from the masters, while
rebelling against the caste system.
The narrative, unfortunately, has numerous historical inconsistencies,
including Jesus meeting historical figures who
lived hundreds of years before or after the first century, e.g. Mencius.
The book has Jesus studying in India in the Orissa area; while this
is an historically important ceremonial area, it didn't come into
prominence until nearly a millenium later.
In addition, this work appears to be derivative of
The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ.

None of this lessens the charm or the esoteric
insight of this book.
Nor should its subterranean
impact on popular spirituality in the United States be underestimated.
The Aquarian Gospel was rediscovered during the spiritual ferment of
the 1960s; a beat-up paperback copy of
this book was de rigeur in every hippie pad,
and it no doubt played an unsung role in naming the 'Age of Aquarius'.
The Aquarian Gospel was probably one of the catalysts
for the 'Jesus freak' movement.
Although they would never admit it,
many a staid evangelical Christian
probably had their spiritual awakening while browsing this book
in a head shop.